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We called this dragon Gertrude. She is a gentle dragon, keeps watch over young people, taking great care of her human friends. She is black and white, because she is definitely sure of what is right and what is wrong, especially when talking to her young charges.

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Spent a lot of time away this past year, but we are back now. During this time I came across some books by Naomi Novik and Anne McCaffrey wonderfully inventive stories featuring dragons. These dragons are able to talk and communicate well with humans, and seem more like the folk lore we read from Asia, where the dragons are good luck and help humankind. These books have inspired us (us being my husband Robert and me) to use polymer and other materials to make some dragons of our own. Hope you like them.

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First snow this morning, heading to the gym it was cold at 6:30 a.m. It always looks so lovely, but I wish we could only have snow at the end of the year, and perhaps a little in January, then Spring. I have been experimenting with different shapes, some necklaces and have now just begun to work on a small dragon. I still love the dragons, but they take quite a long time with all the multiple firings.

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Since the weather has been so hot and humid my studio lends much relief, as I am cool and comfortable all day. I keep the window and the door open, but being in the basement it still stays cool. Easy then to condition and form new pieces, not sweat doing the sanding, not even noticing the heat of the small oven going all day. Outside the window we have a small tree, usually filled with sparrows making the usual sparrow racket, and as we live right in the centre of Montreal the sounds of birds, and all the trees in our back garden seem to transport me into the country. Best of both worlds I say.

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The polymer polka expresses the movement I see in the pieces, I especially like to have my work a little off balance, not exactly in line. Movement always fascinates- the leaves rustling in the trees, water flowing and tumbling over the rocks, the swish of skis in the snow, and the movements we make to the rhythm of music. Art also has its own rhythm, the time of day, the sound the material makes in your hands, the rasp of sandpaper, the whir of the convection oven while my pieces bake, all are music to my ears. Sometimes the music is very good, and if it becomes discordant I file the piece it in the trash and start over.

Being an artist, and living with an artist makes me feel very privileged. I spend each day doing what I love to do. Every morning brings a new thought, a new form to work on and new colors to mix. It keeps my mind and my hands busy all day. At times my studio is so messy it is a wonder I can find anything, when I am working hard I seem to leave stuff around, but finally I clean it all up when I am starting a new project. Its a great way of life, suits me!

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This past summer I was lucky enough to take a couple of workshops with Kathleen Dustin, one of the foremost Internationally known Polymer Clay Artists. I took the Unusual Purses, and Large Hollow Beads. Quite an experience, with 25 fellow artists from all over the U.S. and Canada. Four intense days, I came home impatient to try out what I had learned. Below my two purses I thought it would be easier than it was, but I did survive! Interesting how a room full of creative people feed off each others energy, especially with Kathleen Dustin pushing us on. This year Kathleen is showing her purses at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. Next year she is coming to Montreal to give two workshops sponsored by our Guild.